The field of the invention is brackets and the invention relates more particularly to brackets used to secure a water heater particularly against movement during an earthquake.
Water heaters have been secured to a wall in numerous ways. One bracket is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,573 where a strap or outer collar is bolted to a joint tie strap and a second support is used to hold the water heater away from the wall and is also secured to the joint tie strap. A bracket for holding a water heater in a corner is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,760. A pair of angle brackets is used to hold a water heater to a concrete floor in U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,133. A bracket for holding gas containers and similar tanks is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,635. A water heater restraint must secure attachment to the studs behind a wall board and, since most water heaters are already in place when such a device is used, it must be accurately positionable in the position in which it is located.